Doppelganger
by sol-li
Summary: Rumors of several shards lead Inuyasha, Kagome and the others to a remote village. But the rumors are part of a trap for the arrival of Naraku's most elusive offspring yet -- wily creatures that look exactly like Kagome and Inuyasha.
1. Doppelganger Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE  
  
*  
  
It began with a glimmer of power, and a breath.  
  
A tall figure walked slowly through a darkened corridor. He was richly dressed, and carried himself well; to the naked eye, he looked like a well-born young lord, gone for a late night stroll. His guise as a human was well set in place, hiding who and what he really was. A faint smile came onto his pale features.  
  
A faint bubbling noise greeted him as he stepped into a particular chamber. A half-dozen earthenware vats were set against the wall. Inside them, shapes stirred and shifted in the dark liquid. Some looked almost like humans; some were monstrous blends of demons, bristling with spines, claws, fangs, armored scales.   
  
The demon rested his hands on the edge of the furthermost pot. His glowing eyes narrowed slightly, as if he were lost in thoughts.  
  
Suddenly the pot cracked under his fingers. Fluid began to seep out and pool on the floor, as the shape inside began to thrash and kick at the sides of it pot. Naraku smiled softly as wrinkled fingertips began working through the largest crack, struggling to break through.  
  
"Perfect," Naraku murmured.  
  
The pot crumpled and shattered. A shape collapsed onto the floor, struggling and coughing its first breaths. Naraku watched as it slowly began to organize its movements, to lurch up and stare at him. His own flesh, reshaped and formed into this new demon.  
  
It was a girl. Her wet black hair hung over her face, and her features were hidden by the shadows. Her nude body was that of a young woman, with the awkward coltishness of a girl half-grown. Though Naraku could not see her face, he knew that to the naked eye, she looked entirely human. And he knew whose face was under that dark hair.  
  
"Mihaka," Naraku said quietly.   
  
The girl looked up at him, recognizing her name.   
  
"Good. Very good," the demon said, slowly walking around her. The girl shifted around on her knees, following him with her eyes. "You learn quickly, Mihaka."  
  
Naraku's eyes flickered over her body, finally resting on her face. He had given a great deal of effort into creating this girl, and her brother, and he was pleased by the results. She was perfect; every detail had been thought of and included. As he watched, Mihaka pushed her wet hair out of her eyes and stared up at him solemnly.   
  
"Can you stand?" Naraku said.  
  
As an answer, Mihaka slowly stood up and faced him.   
  
"Are you able to speak?"  
  
"Yes, master," the girl said in a high, clear voice.  
  
"Good," Naraku murmured, smiling. "Good. Your voice is right as well. I outdid my past efforts..."  
  
He walked past the bubbling pots and seated himself on the floor in the corner. "Look into the furthermost vat," he said quietly. "See who is inside."  
  
Mihaka obeyed. She peered into the dark liquid, frowning at the shape she saw curled inside. Her dark eyes narrowed slightly at the profile of a boy's face, asleep and peaceful, framed by long, floating pale hair. His skin and body had a strange translucence, as if he were still forming, still incomplete. Curiously, Mihaka started to reach into the vat, then pulled back her hand as the liquid bubbed ominously. The boy's body shifted, as if he were dreaming in his half-formed state.  
  
"That is your brother Marako," Naraku said in a low voice. "Once you two have learned enough, you will be sent out to do a certain task." He smiled slightly. "Mihaka."  
  
The newborn demon turned to look at him.   
  
"I want you to kill Inuyasha."  
  
Mihaka thought it over for a moment. Then she nodded and smiled. "Yes, Master Naraku."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	2. Doppelganger Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO  
  
*  
  
Kagome watched the clouds going by, lazily tracing circles in the grass with her fingers. Above her, the trees rustled and shimmered in the midday light. Birds chirped and danced on the branches, and a fox ran through the tall grass.  
  
There were so few times like this one, where she could just lie around and enjoy the scenery. She had lived in Tokyo for as long as she could remember, and of all the things Tokyo was known for, natural scenery was not one of them. Not as far as the eye could see, anyway. Not with the fresh air, clean water, bright sky...  
  
"Are you asleep?"  
  
And the demanding half-demons.   
  
"No, I'm not," Kagome said. "Why do you ask?"  
  
If she looked out of the corner of her eye, she could see a boy dressed in red half-hanging out of a nearby tree bough. His pointed dog ears were perked. "Whatcha lookin' at?" he asked.  
  
"The sky."  
  
"Feh. The sky's always there."  
  
"You have no aesthetic sense, you know that?" Kagome said, sitting up. "Have you ever just looked at something because it's pretty?"  
  
Inuyasha flushed and mumbled something incoherent. When he did that, it usually meant "yes," but he didn't want to admit it. Probably, she thought, he would rather have his claws pulled out with pliers than say what he thought WAS pretty. He let one leg drop over the branch, kicking at the long grass. "Sango found rumors of some more jewel shards," he said finally. "A lot of 'em."  
  
"Okay," Kagome said, scrambling up onto Inuyasha's back. He started off running before she was fully settled, and skidded to a stop as Kagome squealed and almost fell off him.   
  
After pulling herself back up, Kagome grabbed fistfuls of his shirt and said, "Okay, go!"  
  
"Why can't you hang on better?" Inuyasha muttered as he began running through the woods.  
  
"I do hang on. You just go too fast for me," Kagome retorted.   
  
Inuyasha just mumbled, "Feh," and continued running. Kagome rested her chin on his shoulder, watching as the ground sped away under them. Suddenly Inuyasha had a burst of speed, leapt into the air, and landed lightly on a rock-covered rooftop.   
  
As he bounced down into the dirt road, Kagome sighed. They hadn't found any shards for quite some time, and it was making their entire group edgy and nervous. While there were quite a few in the little bottle in Kagome's backpack, they were nowhere near as many as Naraku had -- as Inuyasha reminded Kagome constantly. It was a nagging source of fear.   
  
What if Naraku gets the rest? Kagome wondered. She pressed her knees against Inuyasha's sides, feeling a little more secure while he was carrying her. Then she slid off him and dusted herself off.   
  
Sango and Miroku were sitting in front of Kaede's house. Shippo was running in circles with Kirara. "... don't know about it," Sango was saying. "It almost sounds too good to be true."  
  
"What does?" Inuyasha asked, crouching down.   
  
"The story about jewel shards," Sango said, folding her arms. "It sounds like overkill to me, if it isn't true. After all, even one jewel shard is hard to find and obtain. But several? All in one place?"  
  
"Are you saying we shouldn't investigate?" Kagome asked.  
  
"No, I'm not saying that. I think we should be cautious, though," Sango said, putting a hand on her boomerang. "The village is three days to the south of here."  
  
"Feh. I can get there faster," Inuyasha scoffed.  
  
"So can Kirara," Sango said. "I was talking about normal travelling. Most of what I've done, I did on foot."  
  
Inuyasha made an indeterminate noise, and Kagome nudged him in the ribs. "Have you ever been to that village, Sango?" she asked.  
  
"No. In fact, I didn't even know there was a village there. They must be very reclusive," Sango said. She picked up a short sword and slid it from its sheath. "Demon-slayers knew of almost every village and city there is, but I'm fairly sure no one went to that valley. Perhaps they just didn't have much need for outsiders."  
  
"Or maybe it's all a trap," Miroku said thoughtfully. He rested his chin on his covered hand. "But such crudity would be ... unusual for Naraku, don't you think? After all, we would simply have to be on our guard to see any problems that come."  
  
"That's what made me think," Sango agreed. "He's more devious. If it's a trap, it's a rather obvious one."  
  
Inuyasha folded his hands into his sleeves. His face had the peevish expression that Kagome knew was frustration. "You lost me. Are we going or not? 'Cause I don't have all day!"  
  
"I'm going," Sango said, sheathing her blade. After Miroku and Shippo had voiced their agreement, Kagome looked up at Inuyasha. He shrugged. "S'pose I've got to go, just to keep everyone outta trouble," he grumbled.   
  
Kagome smiled. "Okay, let's go, first thing in the morning."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	3. Doppelganger Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE  
  
*  
  
It was time.   
  
A faint shimmer ran over Naraku's borrowed form as he felt the process complete itself. Quietly he rose from his position near the window, staring out at the barrier he had erected to keep out Inuyasha and his cohorts. The purple energy swirled and fell with the winds, like mist. From a distance, that was all it would look like.  
  
He walked slowly over to a thin screen. "Mihaka," he said in a low voice.  
  
A red glow rose up behind the screen, illuminating the form of a girl kneeling behind it. "Yes, master?" she replied.  
  
"Come with me. I want you to meet someone."  
  
Mihaka pushed the screen out of the way. Naraku allowed himself a moment of pride over her. He glanced over her critically, at her long coltish legs and rumpled black hair, her pretty face and thin body. He had spent long hours studying the girl in Kanna's mirror, before sculpting his own separated flesh into the very image. Mihaka.  
  
A minor demon had crept into Inuyasha's camp, and stolen one of the robes that young girl wore, a short scrap of green and white. If they even noticed the absence of the robe, it would be quickly forgotten. It suited Mihaka well, he noted. Now all she needed was her brother at her side.  
  
"Pick that up, and follow me," Naraku ordered.  
  
Mihaka glanced over at the bundle of cloth on the floor. Obediently she tucked it in her arms and followed Naraku through the darkened corridors, to the windowless room where she had first broken out of the vat. Her wide eyes took in the sight of the vat with the pale-haired boy in it, the one she had seen before. It was bubbling wildly, with steam rising from the edges.  
  
Naraku took the clothes from her hand. "Watch, Mihaka," he ordered.  
  
The minutes passed, as the bubbling of the dark liquid grew more frenzied. Suddenly a hand crept onto the rim of the vat, as if the creature inside was trying to pull itself out. With a grinding noise, the vat tipped over. The dark fluid poured onto the floor, pooling under the new offspring that crouched there.   
  
Mihaka moved closer, studying the newborn demon. It was a boy. Naked and soaked, coughing as he took his first breaths. Long, pale silver hair was plastered to his back and neck, and hanging over his face. His fingers ended in sharp, nail-like claws. And pointed dog ears rose from the top of his head. Curiously, she started to touch one.  
  
"Marako," Naraku said softly.  
  
As if he already knew his name, the boy looked up at Naraku with half-open golden eyes.   
  
"Mihaka," Naraku ordered, "dress Marako. Then bring him to me." He turned and drifted out.   
  
Marako tensed as the girl gripped his chest and back, and pushed him onto his knees. With the businesslike attitude of a nurse, she unfolded the bundle she had brought. Red, baggy fire-rat clothing fell from her hands, much to the newborn demon's curiosity. "I can do it... myself," he said hoarsely, holding out a clawed hand.  
  
Mihaka frowned, as if she doubted his abilities. But then she wadded up the red clothes and handed them to him. She watched without embarrassment as her brother painstakingly wrapped his wet body in the armor-like robes. His long silver hair had begun to dry, and his movements no longer had the clumsiness of a newborn.  
  
Once he had belted his clothing in place, Marako glanced down at the low shoes and baggy socks on Mihaka's feet, then at his own bare ones.  
  
"He didn't give me any for you," Mihaka said, shrugging. Marako considered this for a moment, then echoed her shrug.   
  
Without another word, the newborn followed his sister through the dark passages. He glanced from side to side, curious about this place that he seemed to half-know, as if he had dreamed about it in his vat. He glanced down at his fingers, at the sharp claws on them, and wondered why Mihaka had none. Different ears, too. Much fewer clothes.  
  
Mihaka turned a corner, and Marako followed her. In the room was Naraku, staring out the window once more.  
  
"Dressed? Ah, good," Naraku murmured, smiling slightly. Again he found himself admiring the flawless quality of his youngest offspring. Every detail was perfect -- even the way Marako stood, insolent and forward, or the odd way Mihaka clasped her hands.  
  
He rose and watched the two young demons follow him with their eyes. "I am about to tell you about the two you are going to kill," Naraku said. "Their names are Inuyasha and Kagome..."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	4. Doppelganger Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR  
  
*  
  
"Is that the place?" Inuyasha asked, barely pausing as he ran. Kagome peered over the top of his silver head, frowning at the sweeping valley before them. The tall green trees were wreathed in mist, almost hiding the tiny wooden buildings huddled down by the river. Kagome squinted against the sun.   
  
Inuyasha landed lightly on a boulder and looked down a precipice. "Well?" he called over his shoulder.  
  
"I think so," Sango said. She and Miroku were sitting astride Kirara, with Shippo wedged between them. "We'll know once we get there."  
  
Inuyasha darted down a dirt road, and skidded to a stop in the middle of the village. It was small -- a collection of maybe twenty little houses and buildings, all rickety and weatherbeaten. The wind whistled over the trees. Kagome shivered slightly. She could feel SOMETHING here, something cold and empty. "Where are all the people?" she asked.  
  
"Dunno," Inuyasha said. His claws cracked slightly as he looked around. "You sense any jewel shards?"  
  
"Not nearby, no. Not in any of these buildings, anyway."  
  
"Feh. Then we came all this way for nothing."   
  
"Not necessarily." Sango swung off of Kirara's back, with one hand braced on her boomerang. Her eyes flicked from one doorway to another, watching. "Just because they aren't here... doesn't mean they never were. Surely SOMEONE lived in this village. Inuyasha, do you smell anyone lurking nearby?"  
  
Inuyasha raised his face and sniffed the air. "Nobody except us. No blood in the air, either -- not even old blood."  
  
"Perhaps we should investigate in the houses," Miroku said, holding his staff up like a spear. "If the inhabitants left, they would have taken their possessions with them -- but if they were kidnapped or devoured..."  
  
Kagome felt Inuyasha's clawed hand grip her wrist. "Stay close to me, Kagome," he said in a low voice. He strode over to the nearest house, with his arm linked firmly with Kagome's. His free hand rested on the Tetsusaiga, ready to draw it at a moment's notice.  
  
The little hut was dark and musty-smelling. Kagome frowned as she looked around. Bedding had been left unrolled near the covered windows, and a collection of dirty bowls was left on the floor. Flies and mold covered them. And a dead, half-skinned rabbit was rotting near the long-dead fire.  
  
"Nobody home," Inuyasha said, relaxing. "Looks like whatever happened, it happened in a hurry."  
  
"It's like they all just vanished," Kagome said. "I think I read something about a colony a long time ago in America that just vanished like this."  
  
"Oh yeah? What was it? Demons?"  
  
"Nobody knows." Kagome shivered. "Inuyasha, I want to leave this place. Something about it just feels wrong."  
  
"Wrong like what?" Inuyasha's ears pricked.   
  
"I don't know how to describe it. It's like..." Kagome sighed, frustrated. She couldn't think of the right words.  
  
"Feh," Inuyasha snorted. "Well, we'd better find out who or what made these villagers vanish. If it has jewel shards, so much the better." He crossed his arms. "At least this time I don't have to do gravedigger duty."  
  
Kagome chewed on her lip, only half-listening to what Inuyasha was saying. She stepped out of the house, glancing around at the empty dirty paths. She could hear Miroku and Sango talking quietly in the distance, and could see Shippo and Kirara scampering out of one of the houses.   
  
This place is just weird, Kagome thought. I don't like it when we have a mystery like this. Most of the time, it's easy to figure out what's happening -- either Naraku or a demon. Now...  
  
"Kagome?"  
  
Kagome jumped. A pair of bright golden eyes stared at her from the alleyway between houses. For a moment, Kagome felt a jab of terror -- until she saw the shadowed face those eyes were staring from. "You startled me," Kagome said, pressing a hand to her chest.   
  
"Feh," Inuyasha said, stepping out into the sunlight. "You're getting pretty jumpy."  
  
"I told you, I don't like this place. It's creepy." Kagome rubbed her arms, as if she were cold. "What are you doing there, anyway? Weren't you inside the house?"  
  
"Window," Inuyasha said simply, pointing back the way he had come.  
  
"Oh," Kagome said, slightly abashed. "Um, okay. Let's find Miroku and Sango. Maybe they found something more."   
  
*  
  
Inuyasha ran his hands over the back wall, a bunch of clumsily-secured wooden planks. Nothing loose. Nothing scratched. Nothing even stained -- blood, food, sap, or anything else. He pressed his nose to the wood and inhaled deeply. Still smells like the woodlands, he thought. It's been blasted by wind and rain, but it hasn't been here long.  
  
The half-demon sat back in a crouch, frowning. This doesn't make sense, he thought. Why'd they make a village only to abandon it? If they did abandon it... I wonder how old the other houses are.  
  
Suddenly footsteps rang out. Inuyasha felt his hackles rising, as they did when something unknown approached him. Then he scented Kagome. He turned just as she walked into the room, with a little half-smile on her face. "Hey," she said.  
  
"What?" Inuyasha asked. "Miroku get touchy-feely with Sango again?"  
  
"Not that I saw," Kagome said, clasping her hands behind her back. "Inuyasha, I saw something kind of weird... moving in the woods. Can you come with me to check it out?"  
  
"Sure," Inuyasha said, brushing himself off. He felt slightly ashamed. Of course it was Kagome, he thought. It's probably just this creepy place that put me on edge. He swung the girl onto his back and bounded off into the forest, scattering the birds.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	5. Doppelganger Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE  
  
*  
  
Inuyasha felt Kagome's slim fingers digging into his arms as he carried her swiftly through the trees. His bare feet skimmed lightly over the tree boughs, barely ruffling the leaves. It was something they had done together since he had first met her; a day or so after he had first chased her through the woods, he had carried her on his back, hunting a crow-demon that had swallowed the Shikon jewel. It was a hint of all that came after it, hunting demons together.  
  
He sighed deeply. He preferred not to think about that first run. He'd planned to drop her from his back when the crow was dead.   
  
With a grunt, Inuyasha launched himself high over the treetops. "See any shards?" he asked.   
  
"Nope," Kagome said, shading her eyes. "Maybe it was just my imagination."  
  
Inuyasha stared over the trees, watching for any moving shadows, any suspicious shapes. He couldn't see Shikon shards, but he knew something had been there. Years of living in the wilds had honed his senses to near-perfection. He knew when something dangerous was near. It was close... very close... he felt his hackles rising as he stared down at the dark glens...  
  
A strange tingling spread over his back, where Kagome was huddled. It was almost like a static shock. Inuyasha sucked in a breath, almost dropping Kagome from reflex. His hands grabbed her legs in time, tugging her back up. What's wrong with me today? he wondered irritably.  
  
"You okay?" Kagome breathed in his ear.  
  
"Yeah," Inuyasha said in a low voice. He landed lightly on a treetop, letting the thin branches bend under his feet, then jumped down to a stronger bough. "Just a weird feeling." He put his hand on the Tetsusaiga. "But whatever was here is long gone."  
  
Kagome nodded slightly. "Well, maybe we should rejoin the others, if there's nothing here." With his gaze fixed on the trees, Inuyasha did not see the veiled amusement in her eyes.  
  
*  
  
Kagome's feeling of unease clung to her as she walked with Inuyasha through the abandoned village. It felt like a ghost town -- worse, it felt like a town which had never been alive to start with. She unconsciously drew closer to the half-demon boy at her side, clutching at his wide, baggy sleeve. To her surprise, she felt his clawed hand slipping under her elbow and holding it tightly. I guess this place feels creepy to him too, she thought.  
  
Sango was stepping out of one hut. Her boomerang hung over her shoulder, ready for her to throw. "Nothing?" she asked.  
  
"No one, not even a dog or cat," Kagome said.   
  
"Same here." Sango hefted her boomerang higher. "Miroku is checking the last few huts, but it seems like there isn't anyone here. Plenty of signs of people living here, but every one of them is days old. Old food, unmade bedding, half-finished tools and tanning. But it's like everyone just vanished in the middle of whatever they were doing. Very strange."  
  
Kagome began to reply, but she paused. Inuyasha's hand had abruptly dropped from her arm. He strode off suddenly, glancing and sniffing around. His eyes had the keenness of a hunter stalking its prey.  
  
Sango looked after him curiously. "What's he doing? What does he smell?"  
  
"I don't know," Kagome said, crossing her arms. "Inuyasha, can you do me a favor? Get a bucketful of water from the river so I can make us dinner."  
  
"'Kay," Inuyasha called over his shoulder. Then he leaped over a rooftop and vanished.  
  
The two girls talked quietly between themselves for a few minutes, interrupted only when Miroku and Shippo returned. "Nothing," Miroku said grimly. "Not even footprints that might show where the villagers might have gone. And no demonic traces either."  
  
"This place is creepy," Kagome said, glancing around. "I don't know, I just... I've been in empty villages before, but never one like this one."  
  
"I'm sure it's just your imagination," Miroku said, patting her shoulder.  
  
"I hope so."  
  
A red and white blur shot around the corner and stopped right near Kagome. It was Inuyasha - dusty, disheveled, and rather confused-looking. "How'd you get here first?" he asked, frowning at Kagome.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You went ahead of me. How'd you beat me here?"  
  
"I came here with you."  
  
Inuyasha looked puzzled, but apparently decided to drop the subject. "Nothing in those woods over there. Something was there, but it may've been days since it left. Might've been a demon, might've not. And even if it was, it might not have been responsible for the villagers vanishing."  
  
As Miroku mused over that, Kagome piped up, "Did you get me the water?"  
  
"What water?"  
  
"The water from the river!" Kagome exclaimed. "I asked you to get me some. I can't make you dinner without it."  
  
"Okay, fine, calm down," Inuyasha said, giving her a strange look. Before she could speak again, he turned and raced down the dirt path, in the direction of the river. He could hear the faint, rushing thunder of the river and waterfall. Breathing hard, Inuyasha knelt and drank from the fast-moving water. "What's her problem?" he muttered, wiping his mouth.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	6. Doppelganger Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX  
  
*  
  
"Come on, Inuyasha, make a decision!" Shippo shouted. "Which one? You gotta choose sooner or later!"  
  
"I..." Inuyasha grimaced, thinking about the choice ahead of him. He glanced from one to the other, thinking. Which could he give up...? "I... can't decide, Shippo."  
  
"Well, you gotta!" The little fox glared at him.  
  
"Make me."  
  
"Look, you can't get away with both -- it isn't allowed."  
  
"Feh." Inuyasha shifted down in his cushion. But behind his unconcerned, sullen face, his mind was racing furiously with the ugly choice ahead of him. Which one would he keep -- and which one would he cast away? If he pushed aside one, would he end up regretting it later? His golden eyes narrowed as he thought...  
  
"Come on, just choose," Shippo insisted, hopping up on the table. "Just pick which one you don't want, and get rid-"  
  
"It's not that simple, runt!" If there was anything Inuyasha had learned over the past months, it was that there was nothing simple in this sort of situation. He grimaced, straining to make a decision... which one did he really want? With a heavy sigh, he said in a low voice, "Okay, I've decided."  
  
Shippo's large green eyes glinted in the firelight as he leaned forward. His little pointed ears twitched as he listened carefully for Inuyasha's decision. "You sure?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure." Inuyasha took a deep breath. "Got any threes?"  
  
"GO FISH!" Shippo squealed. As Inuyasha groaned, he jumped up on the table and began dancing around, still clutching his cards to his tiny chest. They almost obscured his grinning face, but Inuyasha seethed at the sight of his little victory dance anyway.  
  
By the fire, Kagome looked up from the fish and ramen she was preparing. "I wish I'd never taught you two that game," she said dryly. "You take it way too seriously. It's just a stupid card game -- it doesn't even need skill."  
  
"Well, I'd do something else if you taught me a different game," Inuyasha said. He glared at the prancing fox-demon, growling softly between his clenched fangs.  
  
"No way. If I taught you poker, you might end up killing somebody," Kagome said. She peeled the top off his ramen and looked blearily down at the broth-covered noodles. For some reason, she was deeply tired, worn out. Maybe I'm fighting off a cold, she thought, stifling a yawn.  
  
"I'm going to get some sleep," she said, standing up.  
  
"SHUT UP, RUNT! IT'S ALL CHANCE ANYWAY!" Inuyasha bellowed, taking a swipe at the dancing kitsune.  
  
Kagome yawned again as she moved out into the cool night air. Since the village was abandoned, she was sharing a small hut with Sango a short distance from the men's house. Miroku was somewhat unhappy about being kept in all-male quarters with Shippo and Inuyasha, but the two young women insisted. It was a bit cramped, but after sharing a room with four other people for the past months, Kagome was grateful to be bunking with just one.  
  
A fire was smoldering in the hearth when she stepped inside. Rubbing at her aching eyes, Kagome unrolled her sleeping bag. Her last, drowsy thoughts before she fell asleep were of the streak of red and silver she saw darting into the trees.   
  
*  
  
The smell of minerals and hot water rose from the hot springs, sending a prickle down Sango's back. Letting her towel fall to the ground, she slipped into the water. She had left her knives and sword with her clothes, neatly folded on a rock on the bank. The hot water caressed her bare skin and smoothed the tension from her muscles. She sighed and sank down.  
  
"Hey, Sango!"   
  
Sango automatically reached for her sword, then relaxed as she recognized the voice. Kagome stepped out of the woods, clutching a bath towel. "Relax! It's just me," she joked. "I'm pretty sure Miroku didn't see me leave."  
  
After stripping off her uniform, Kagome slipped in beside her friend and sighed. "Ah, that feels great," she murmured. "I brought soap, by the way."  
  
"It's nice to be able to wash without worrying about being spied on," Sango said, sitting up in the water. Her long black hair trailed behind her as she stretched out, kicking at dried-up leaves that had fallen to the water.  
  
"I'll say," Kagome said. "But you like Miroku anyway, don't you?"  
  
Sango flushed slightly. "Well, what about you and Inuyasha? I'm still not clear on what's going on there -- except Miroku seems to think that Inuyasha's just being timid."  
  
"You think he's timid?"  
  
"Shy, certainly. I haven't heard much about his relationship with Kikyo... sorry, I know you hate hearing about her. But I think that he's scared because of what happened to him then." Sango picked up the bar of soap and ran it up and down her arms. "He's only had one relationship, right?"  
  
"I guess so," Kagome said pensively. "I don't think he's mentioned any others, anyway. He can be really weird that way. I guess he does feel a little... I dunno, frightened. Though he's got nothing to be frightened of! It's not like I bite or anything. Do you think he's naive or something?"  
  
"A little, maybe. About women, certainly." Sango sat up as Kagome began scrubbing her back where she couldn't reach. "Just so long as he doesn't take advice from Miroku. One guy like that is more than enough!"  
  
Kagome giggled and began scrubbing her stomach underwater. As Sango rose from the water, she sank back and stretched up one of her legs. "You go on ahead -- I'm going to soak and relax for awhile."  
  
"You sure?" Sango asked, slipping on her slayer's uniform and tossing her skirt over her shoulder. "Will you be okay?"  
  
"Sure, I'll be fine," Kagome said, shaking soap bubbles from her fingers. "I just want a little time to myself."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	7. Doppelganger Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN  
  
*  
  
The girl in the hot springs combed her fingers through her long black hair. Still naked, she leaned forward and looked at her rippling, distorted reflection in the water. A bug flitted across it, obliterating the image. She flicked it absentmindedly from the water, still staring at her face.  
  
She and Marako were supposed to meet Naraku soon, to be told what they were supposed to ultimately do. They had been told a great deal about Inuyasha and Kagome -- how they bickered, how Inuyasha obsessively guarded the human girl, how he was still attached to the dead priestess Kikyo, despite his feelings for Kagome -- Kikyo's reincarnation, oddly enough. And a thousand little quirks, little habits and words that they themselves had probably forgotten. The way they stood, the way they walked, the rosary that responded to Kagome's command, the way Kagome clung to Inuyasha's back and throat as he ran. Naraku, once he had taught them all this, told them to insinuate themselves in the group, weaving in and out until he gave them further instructions.   
  
Mihaka raised her leg out of the water and began idly scrubbing it. She knew that they were supposed to kill Kagome and Inuyasha. But she wondered what Naraku had in mind. Nothing simple, that much was sure. She had found out about Inuyasha's shyness from Sango, and that could be very useful. She couldn't wait to tell Naraku about it...  
  
"Mihaka?"  
  
The girl leaned back and stretched her slim arms over her head. "I'm in the hot spring."  
  
A tall, lean boy in red walked out of the woods. His dog ears flicked slightly as he saw Mihaka relaxing in the hot water, but he made no move to join her. Instead he sat heavily on the bank, letting his bare feet brush the surface of the bubbling, steaming water.   
  
Mihaka continued washing, unashamed by her brother seeing her nude form. "You talked to Miroku?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"What did you find out?"  
  
"Inuyasha's still stuck on this Kikyo woman, and it upsets Kagome just hearing about it. Sounds like nothing much happens, though -- one kiss, a couple hugs, and that's about all. Stupid woman if that's getting her mad."  
  
Mihaka splashed water on her face. "Naraku TOLD us that."  
  
"I know," Marako said defensively. His golden eyes wandered off into the treetops. "But also she's scared that he sees her just as a jewel shard detector -- she sees the shards, and apparently he's said a few times that that's all he wants her around for, or something like that. Sounds like the idiot's in love with her, but won't say it and is too dense to figure out what she's thinking."  
  
Mihaka stretched out, rubbing a washcloth over her back. Marako took it carefully from her hand, and began scrubbing along her sides and neck; she lifted her dark hair to let him reach. "Where did Sango go?" Mihaka asked.  
  
Marako squeezed the washcloth, sending soapy water down his sister's spine. She sat still, her face pensive. He said, "I stopped her on the way back to the village, so she wouldn't see Kagome sleeping in their hut. I claimed I saw something near the foot of the mountain, and it took almost half an hour to finish lookin'." He sat back, letting the washcloth drop into the hot spring. His face was locked into a harsh, thoughtful expression, making him look even more like Inuyasha. "Then I had to leave in a hurry. Inuyasha was up on the rooftops, practicing with his sword."  
  
"What about yours?"  
  
Marako smiled slightly and put a hand on the ragged-looking katana on his belt. "It doesn't transform, but it's good enough when I'm not fighting. THIS doesn't work either." He hooked a clawed finger on the rough rosary around his neck. "Glad it doesn't, or I'd be in trouble."  
  
Something darted by Marako's face. The demon flinched and raised his hand to swat it, then stopped. It was one of Naraku's venomous wasps, hovering over Mihaka's head. She rose quickly, and began toweling her wet body off.  
  
"He must be waitin' for us," Marako said, standing. "Come on, let's move."  
  
The wasp buzzed away, with the two following swiftly, side by side. Mihaka quickly dressed, and followed her brother into the woods. He was smiling eagerly, with a hungry gleam in his golden eyes. The night swallowed them up, as the insect led them away from the abandoned village.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	8. Doppelganger Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT  
  
*  
  
The night air was full of wind, blowing a thousand strong scents from the mountains, the sparkling river, the bright stars. Inuyasha took a deep breath, lowering the Tetsusaiga to his shoulder and looking out over the village. A faint glow came from two of the huts, showing where the small group had camped out.  
  
Something's missing, he thought.  
  
Inuyasha sniffed the air again, searching for the elusive scent that was missing. It's not just one scent, he realized. It's all the scents of a village that people live in -- fish and smoke and grease and sweat and the scent of livestock. They're all missing. I suppose they could have worn off days ago, but still...  
  
He grimaced. Something about this village felt so FALSE. It was like a paper doll, with a face and painted clothes, but just a thin little slip underneath it. With a growl, Inuyasha swung Tetsusaiga in a wide arc, imagining himself facing off against Naraku. That bastard's at the root of all this, but I don't know why, he thought darkly. Rumors of jewel shards my foot. Though I don't know why he'd cook up a whole village like this.  
  
With a deep sigh, Inuyasha sheathed his blade and stretched, arching his back. He wasn't made for thinking -- he didn't have Miroku's cool brain or Sango's varied experience. The strength of his body had always been his way of getting through problems. Until relatively recent, it was all he had ever needed to get through.  
  
A flicker of movement in the woods caught his eye. He stiffened, catching a scent on the air...  
  
He jumped from the rooftop to the spot where he had seen something run by. His pointed dog ears twitched as he listened for any more sounds. Then he bent down and sniffed at the leaves, twigs and dirt. Dozens of scents... badgers, foxes, beetles, wild dogs and wolves, a minor demon or two... and himself. And Kagome too.  
  
Inuyasha straightened up, frowning. He could smell his own scent -- relatively fresh -- and Kagome's as well. Had they been by earlier in the day? He didn't exactly remember where they had roamed, looking for... well, whatever Kagome thought she had seen. We might have come here, he thought. He pressed a hand to the ground, looking around at the dark, shivering trees.   
  
Weird... really weird. Oh well, at least it wasn't Naraku or Sesshomaru, he thought, striding back to the warmly lit huts. He could smell food being made inside, and it reminded him that he hadn't eaten in the past few hours. Practice with the Tetsusaiga always made him hungry.   
  
Kagome was stumbling out of the girls' hut. She yawned as Inuyasha took her by the arm and led her back to where the food was being made.  
  
*  
  
The cloaked figure was waiting for them, in the dark forest grove near the river. The water sparkled in the light as the two demons leapt over it, landing lightly on the riverbank. Marako skidded to a halt, threw out his arm to stop Mihaka. His sister was breathing hard with exertion, and she clung to his elbow as they approached Naraku.  
  
He was crouching or kneeling under a tree, wrapped in a cloak made of a baboon's pelt. It masked his face and enfolded his body, and let only the lower half of his face show. At that moment, Mihaka and Marako could see him smile. "Ah, you've finally arrived," Naraku said in a low voice. "Have you done as I asked?"  
  
"Yes," Mihaka said.   
  
"Good. Very good," Naraku said softly. "I'm sure you will both like what I have planned for you next. Mihaka."  
  
The demoness looked up, twirling a strand of her dark hair around her finger. "You said I was to kill Inuyasha."  
  
"You are. That has not changed. But I have something specific I would like for you to do." A small smile touched Naraku's half-hidden face. "Inuyasha will die. What is more, he will die with the agonizing knowledge that the woman he loves seduced, betrayed and murdered him." His keen eyes watched Mihaka's pretty face. "Do you understand?"  
  
Mihaka thought it over for a moment, then smiled slightly. "Yes, Master Naraku."  
  
"What about me?" Marako demanded heatedly.  
  
"Marako!" Mihaka hissed. "Quiet!"  
  
A low, purring chuckle came from the baboon pelt. "Marako," Naraku said quietly, "not only do you possess Inuyasha's form, but his impatience as well. I have a task for you, as important as Mihaka's. Though Inuyasha's feelings for the girl Kagome run deep, it would be a cruel occurrance if he were to... say, take the shards from her. In the past, he desired only the jewel, and told her so. What if those words were truth?"   
  
Marako thought it over for a moment, then nodded solemnly. A fanged grin spread over his face for a moment, then vanished as he controlled his feelings. His clawed hands balled into fists. "Tomorrow?" he asked.  
  
"Yes," Naraku said quietly. "Tomorrow."  
  
The two young demons watched as Naraku seemed to melt and disappear into the shadows, the white baboon pelt shining in the moonlight before vanishing into thin air. Then they turned and began the long walk back to the village.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	9. Doppelganger Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE  
  
*  
  
"Ah, that was good!" Shippo said. He fell back on Kagome's backpack and rubbed his small stomach. "Can I have some more tomorrow morning?"  
  
"You can have some for breakfast tomorrow," Kagome said, stacking the dirty bowls. "Assuming you're not still full from tonight. Just where do you PUT it all?"  
  
Kagome waited for Inuyasha to make some acid remark about Shippo -- maybe "in his empty skull." But she only heard a faint moan that ended in a sigh. When she turned around, she saw that he was asleep, with his silver head resting against the wall. His closed eyes twitched, as if he were having a vivid dream, and he clung to the Tetsusaiga like a small child holding a ragged blanket.  
  
Kagome's face softened slightly. "Inuyasha?" she said quietly.  
  
Inuyasha mumbled, "... don' wanna..." and ended with another long sigh.  
  
"Wow, he must've really been tired," Shippo remarked. He hopped onto Kagome's shoulder. "Are you gonna wake him up?"  
  
"No, I don't think so," Kagome whispered. She crept over to her backpack and pulled out a folded blanket. Inuyasha didn't move as she draped it over him, tucking it around his long legs and tightly folded arms. She felt him stiffen as she touched him, then relax as she pulled away. On impulse, Kagome touched his head, stroked her fingers over the long silver hair. It caught on her fingertips, making him stir in his sleep. A faint tremor passed over his face, melted away into stillness.  
  
I wonder what he's dreaming about, she thought. Fighting, probably -- he spends so much time doing it that I wouldn't be surprised.  
  
Suddenly Inuyasha stirred. "What're you doing?" he mumbled.  
  
"Sorry," Kagome said.   
  
Inuyasha stretched a little under the blanket, but seemed uninclined to take it off. After a few minutes of staring at the fire, his head drooped forward, and his golden eyes slowly closed.   
  
"What are you smiling at, Kagome?" Shippo asked.  
  
"Oh, nothing," Kagome said, zipping up her backpack. She slung it over her shoulder as she stepped out of the house. "Good night, Shippo. Miroku ought to be back soon."  
  
"Good night, Kagome." Shippo yawned and curled up on the floor.   
  
*  
  
"Trust is such a fragile thing," murmured the cloaked figure, looking down at the dark valley below him. Behind the baboon mask, Naraku's cold eyes were smiling. He could see the fleet-footed forms of his newest offspring, flickering under the trees as they approached the little village.  
  
It had been far too easy to erect the village, make it look as though it had been inhabited, and sprinkle rumors on the wind about jewel shards there. Inuyasha and his little band were ridiculously easy to lure. And now, with Marako and Mihaka weaving in and out, the fragile trust between Inuyasha and Kagome would start to crack.  
  
Naraku remembered vividly the day, fifty years before, when he had tricked Inuyasha and the priestess Kikyo into attacking one another. He remembered the hate in Kikyo's eyes, as she had seen her precious Inuyasha walk away with the jewel in his hand. And the rage and pain in Inuyasha's, as he had seen his beloved Kikyo firing her arrows at him. Naraku had watched from a distance as Inuyasha ripped through the village, leaving a trail of destruction, and almost escaping with the Shikon jewel in his grasp. Then Kikyo's arrow had pierced his heart, pinning him to a tree in a spell of death. And she had died, taking the jewel with her.   
  
The next day would be no less tumultuous, but Naraku found a certain pleasure in thinking about it. More complex, less chaotic. Nothing would be left to chance. Kagome would not have the choice of using the jewel to save herself -- Marako would see to that. And Inuyasha would again be "betrayed," dying in front of the woman he loved... ironically, the same woman reincarnated.   
  
Those two may have more trust than Kikyo and Inuyasha shared, Naraku thought, but it will not save them in the end. Their bitterest words will come back to haunt them, and their deepest fears will surface. Mihaka and Marako know what to say and do... make them most vulnerable, and then shatter them completely.  
  
He smiled slightly. He would observe at a distance, waiting for the two to finish their task. And perhaps, he would then order them to take Inuyasha and Kagome's places. Then Sango and the dissolute monk Miroku could be quietly killed off, in some secluded spot. After all, did they not trust Inuyasha and Kagome, their close friends?  
  
As the lights in the tiny village went out, Naraku was enveloped in a great cloud of poisonous vapors, lifted into the night sky. A swarm of poisonous wasps flew around him.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	10. Doppelganger Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN  
  
*  
  
Miroku leaned back on the windowsill and closed his eyes. The sun was warm on his face, the breeze was scented with flowers, and Kirara was purring contentedly in his lap, rubbing against his elbow. On the far side of the village, Sango was whetting her blades, a surprisingly pretty picture considering what she was doing. The monk sighed, letting himself relax on the bench. After all, those loud voices didn't bother him at all...  
  
"What the HELL are you talkin' about?"  
  
"I'm talking about you pretending you don't know!"  
  
"Know what?"  
  
"That's EXACTLY what I'm talking about!"  
  
If I weren't used to those two, Miroku thought, I might be very annoyed by being disturbed like this.  
  
On the bench beside Miroku, Shippo sucked a lollipop thoughtfully. "Why do they always argue?" he asked.   
  
"It's how they communicate," Miroku said, not opening his eyes. "Don't worry. It's just a minor squabble. They'll have made up or forgotten about it by sunset."  
  
Kagome and Inuyasha's voices rose louder and louder inside the little house. "... I told you to do that, and now you're looking at me like I'm from Mars when I ask why you never did it! What is WRONG with you?"  
  
"That's MY line! You never told me to do that. If ya had, I sure wouldn't pretend I never heard you."  
  
"Then what do you call what you're doing now?" Kagome retorted. "You may find this surprising, Inuyasha, but I am not so stupid-"  
  
"Well, you're sure acting like it!" Inuyasha snapped.   
  
"SIT!"  
  
Miroku sighed deeply at the sound of Inuyasha yelping in dismay, ending with a loud crash. Their arguments usually ended the same way -- Inuyasha leaving faceprints on the ground, and Kagome storming off without him. How Inuyasha has managed to spend so much time with Kagome and not break his nose, I shall never know, he thought.  
  
Miroku glanced over at the door as Kagome stepped out. She was fuming, with what Shippo called her "scary face." Muttering under her breath, she stalked off in the direction of the girls' hut. Sango paused, sheathed her blades, and followed Kagome.  
  
Inuyasha appeared in the doorway a moment later, with dust on his cheeks and forehead. "What are you starin' at?" he snarled at Miroku.  
  
"Nothing," Miroku said, resting his head on his folded hands. "Just wondering if I could take my midday nap without any more squabbling. Are you and Kagome done, or do you need to get anything more out of your systems?"  
  
"Stuff it, monk." Inuyasha glanced after Kagome, then raced off in the opposite direction.  
  
*  
  
"Good," Marako murmured, letting the branches fall back. His golden eyes flickered as he watched the blur of red and silver finally pausing on a rooftop. Inuyasha slid off the edge of the roof and swung into one of the empty houses.   
  
"What's going on?" Mihaka said impatiently. "You're in my way. I can't see what they're doing."  
  
"Looks like the idiot ticked her off good." Marako smiled slightly, letting his fangs peek over his lips. "She thinks she told him to do something. Actually, she told me. So now she thinks he's covering his butt by lying to her, and they had a big fight."  
  
"I heard it," Mihaka said dryly. She sat back and rested her chin on her knees. "That's good for us, huh? If they're fighting, they'll be separated for a little while. Naraku said that usually Inuyasha sulks unless Kagome tells him that she was wrong."  
  
Marako caught the edge of the bush and pulled it aside. He could see the debauched-looking monk dozing in the doorway, with that twerpy baby fox sitting next to him. "While you're busy with Inuyasha, I'll take Kagome somewhere secluded." His clawed fingers tapped the branch, as if he were in deep thought.   
  
"And if we succeed, we'll meet up with Naraku tonight..."  
  
"'If'?" Marako glanced back at his sister, looking startled. "Don't you think we'll succeed?"  
  
"Of course I do." Mihaka frowned. "Especially since they don't know what we're planning -- they don't even know we're here."  
  
"Can you handle Inuyasha?" Marako's eyes narrowed. "If you think you can't, I can hang around."  
  
A cold smile crossed Mihaka's face. "Don't worry," she said, putting a hand on Marako's arm. "I'll get his guard down. He won't even see it coming until he's half dead."  
  
Marako gripped her arm for a moment in farewell, then jumped up into the trees. Mihaka straightened her schoolgirl's uniform, smoothed her dark hair, and stepped out of the bushes. And "Kagome" began the trek toward the house where Inuyasha was sulking...  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	11. Doppelganger Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN  
  
*  
  
Water slopped over the edges of the bowl as Inuyasha dropped the rag back into it. He frowned critically, holding Tetsusaiga in front of his face. He didnt get the chance to do this very often, and his sword needed it badly. He rolled up his long, baggy sleeves and picked up the rag.  
  
As he began scrubbing the chipped, dull blade, his mind drifted back to the fight he had had with Kagome. She had been acting weird for days -- getting creeped out by this empty village, to start with. Inuyasha found the place weird and suspicious, but not creepy. Although from time to time, he felt his instincts going haywire, warning him that someone was watching him. But when he smelled the air, he scented nobody except myself.  
  
Inuyasha dunked the rag into the bowl and began scrubbing again. The fight with Kagome had annoyed him. Not that fights were a new thing -- they'd been quibbling since day one, and very few of those fights had actually meant anything to either of them. But this one rankled. Maybe it was that she had all but called him a liar. That, or sick in the head. Inuyasha grimaced just thinking about it.   
  
I don't lie, he thought angrily. Okay, maybe a little -- like when I said I hated her smell. But not the kind of lie she was talkin' about.  
  
His hand slipped, and the rag squished to the floor. Inuyasha grimaced and turned his fingers over. Good thing the blade wasn't sharp until it transformed, or he would have lost a thumb. Ignoring the wet rag, he picked up a dry one and began polishing the blade, testing it from time to time. Tetsusaiga always looked like a wreck, but there was no reason to just let it look worse than it had to.  
  
There was a soft knock on the wall outside.   
  
"Who is it?" Inuyasha called, still polishing. He could already smell who it was, but wanted her to be civil before she came in.  
  
"It's me," Kagome's muffled voice called. "Can I come in?"  
  
"Feh," Inuyasha grumbled.   
  
Kagome pushed the screen out of the doorway. She was flushed and breathless, as if she had been running recently. "Is anybody else here?" she asked, glancing around the empty hut.  
  
"Nope, it's just me. Come to yell a little more?" Inuyasha asked darkly.  
  
"No, I didn't," Kagome said, kneeling on the floor in front of him. "Inuyasha, I..." She fell silent, as if she were thinking about what to say.  
  
Inuyasha set his sword aside and studied the grimy scabbard. "Well?"  
  
"I'm sorry." Kagome looked up at him with wide, clear eyes. "I'm sorry about the stuff I said this morning."  
  
Inuyasha froze, with the rag in his hand poised over the scabbard. His golden eyes blinked, as if he weren't quite sure what he was seeing. "You what?" he asked slowly.  
  
"I won't say it again. I already said it once," Kagome said quickly. "But you heard me right. Inuyasha..." She swallowed hard, as if the admission was something hard for her to say. She brushed a lock of dark hair behind her ear. "I... I know you wouldn't lie to me. I don't know why you don't seem to remember what I said to you, but if you say you didn't hear me, I... I believe you. I was wrong."  
  
"Damn right you were," Inuyasha said gruffly. But his ego had been salved by her admission, and his resentment had faded away. He shifted against the wall, still clutching his dirty scabbard. "But it don't really matter now. Forget about it," he added in a low voice.   
  
As he stood up, Kagome stayed kneeling, staring at the patterns in the dusty wooden floor. Her dark hair had fallen over her face, hiding her expression from him. Inuyasha stared at her. He felt vaguely disturbed, as if there was something wrong that he didn't know how to fix. He squatted down in front of her, trying to see her downcast eyes. "Whatsamatter?" he demanded.   
  
Kagome sighed, still not looking at him.  
  
"What's wrong?" Inuyasha said loudly. "I can tell something's wrong."  
  
"It's nothing," Kagome whispered.   
  
"Don't give me that crap," Inuyasha said, his attempts at being kind cracking slightly. "I can tell when you're upset. You're acting just like when... when I go... when you don't like something I do," he finished lamely. I better not mention Kikyo, he thought.  
  
Kagome didn't look at him, or react at all. Normally that sort of response would have made her bristle, or even shout "sit!" at him. But she just stared down at the floor, looking small and fragile. He crouched forward on his hands, straining to see her face. One of his clawed fingers hooked under her chin, tilted her face up to his. "Come on, look at me when I'm talking to you," Inuyasha said quietly.   
  
She did. Her dark eyes slowly looked up and met his. Inuyasha moved back slightly, startled at what he saw there. "Kagome," he said softly. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I suppose," Kagome said, clasping her hand over his. Before Inuyasha could speak again, her arms slipped under his, hugging him tightly around the chest, resting her dark head under his chin. The suddenness of it stole Inuyasha's breath for a moment. "Kagome...?" he said softly.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	12. Doppelganger Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE  
  
*  
  
"You okay?"  
  
"Just give me a hug, please," Kagome muttered.   
  
"Sure," Inuyasha said, feeling awkward. He did as she said, waiting for her odd mood to pass.  
  
After a long while, "Feeling any better?" Inuyasha asked, his voice muffled by Kagome's windblown black hair.  
  
"A little," she said softly. Inuyasha rested one of his hands lightly on Kagome's back, hoping that it comforted her further. He hated seeing her upset... even when he caused it.   
  
I don't know what made her this unhappy. It can't have been that rotten little squabble, he thought, looking over her head into the distance. His claws caught on the thin fabric of her blouse, and he felt her stiffen slightly. Quickly he pulled his hands away.   
  
He sighed heavily, closing his eyes. Well, when she felt better, he'd go make the rounds of the woods. If there was something there, he would find-  
  
Suddenly he stiffened. He could feel Kagome's finger, hooked into the neck of his robe. He felt it trace down over his chest, down his belly, parting the red cloth down to his waist. "K-K-Kagome..." he whispered. "What are you... why..."  
  
Kagome stepped back, holding his wide, baggy sleeves in her hands, her eyes fixed on his face. With a gentle tug, the garment slipped down Inuyasha's narrow shoulders, down his arms, and fell at his feet. He stood still as his white silk undershirt slipped off as well, leaving him bare from the waist up. He was torn between being stunned and scared... he had dreamed from time to time about things like this, but never thought Kagome would actually...  
  
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Kagome said hesitantly. "You're not... scared, are you?"  
  
"Kagome..." he repeated. "I... I don't... we should..."  
  
"I guess I shouldn't have done that," Kagome said, with tears in her eyes. "But... Inuyasha... I've just been so unhappy. I've cared... so much about you, since the first weeks we travelled together. And I... wanted to be with you so much, even though you kept saying you hated me..." She looked down and wiped at her eyes.  
  
Inuyasha felt something spasm in his chest. He took a step toward Kagome. Thinking of what she was doing. What she was saying she felt for him. His hands were shaking as he touched Kagome's shoulder. "Kagome... you gotta understand..." he said hesitantly.  
  
"No, no, I get it," Kagome said in a little, choked voice. "You don't... want me... that's it. I understand."  
  
"NO!" Before she could turn away, Inuyasha seized Kagome and crushed her against his chest. Holding her tightly, he began thinking. Holding her like this gave him a few more minutes to sort out his tangled feelings. Kagome made no move to pull away, just resting against him.   
  
"That's not it," Inuyasha mumbled. "You got it all wrong."  
  
"Okay..." Kagome said. The conflicted young demon did not see the cold look in her eyes.  
  
Inuyasha couldn't remember any time in his life when a girl had truly been interested in him. He was a halfbreed. Human girls thought he was ugly, frightening, like a beast on two legs. Even on the few occasions when he was able to talk to one, he had never forgotten for a moment what he had been born as. Not even Kikyo had left that alone, when he had trailed after her. Only Kagome never spoke of it.  
  
Inuyasha trusted her. He protected her. She soothed him and made him feel relaxed in a way he hadn't in his whole life. A few times, Kagome had even hinted at feelings for him, but he didn't dare pursue them.   
  
Inuyasha hugged her tighter. "Y'know," he said, "nobody ever said they... wanted me."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"What, you forgot the dog ears?" he asked bitterly.  
  
"Well," Kagome said decidedly. "I want you, dog ears and all. And I'm not just saying that..."  
  
Inuyasha rested his chin on Kagome's shoulder, still thinking. Kagome's words echoed in his mind... "I want you."  
  
What of Kikyo? That unwelcome question forced itself into Inuyasha's mind. He saw the undead priestess in his mind, and remembered his promise: to protect her with his life. Would this be breaking my word? he wondered. Would this mean... forgetting Kikyo?  
  
"Inuyasha..." Kagome said quietly. "You're shaking. Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine," Inuyasha mumbled. He was starting to feel almost dizzy. He wanted Kagome -- wanted to show her how he felt, even if he couldn't get the damn words out of his mouth. And she wanted him too -- she had even said so. In all those years alone, nobody had ever said they cared. It made it so hard to even think about saying no.  
  
And worst of all was the fear. It was a fear that he'd had for months, but this made it rise up and smack him in the face. She might leave him. If he did this now -- if he became Kagome's lover -- what would happen one day if she met someone she liked better? Would she just cast him aside, leaving him more alone than he ever had been before?   
  
The thought of it made him feel cold all over. He held Kagome close against his bare chest, stroking her long hair. Then he made his choice in an instant. He knew what he wanted to do, regardless of his fear.   
  
Inuyasha drew back from Kagome, and looked into her eyes. "Kagome... you really..."  
  
"I really," Kagome said firmly. She leaned over and kissed his lips. Inuyasha didn't dare to return it for a moment -- then began kissing her back, hesitantly, like a shy young boy in the middle of his first crush. He gripped her shoulders and pulled her back into his arms. A hot blaze in his blood reminded him of his demonic transformations, but this was a different kind of feeling...  
  
Yes, Inuyasha thought. Yes... this is what I want...  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	13. Doppelganger Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN  
  
*  
  
Marako balanced on the middle of the rooftop, listening intently to the soft murmurs inside the house. So far they were still talking, not doing anything else. His pointed dog ears twitched as he waited for something more to happen.  
  
He wasn't crazy about the idea of Mihaka seducing that idiot. And he wasn't sure why Naraku wanted that to happen before Inuyasha died -- more specifically, before Mihaka tore the life from him. But it served a definite purpose for Marako: Being bedded by Mihaka kept him occupied, so that Marako could take his time with Kagome, without fear of being disturbed. His clawed hands twitched in anticipation.  
  
I'll have some fun with the human girl Kagome, he thought, smiling. After all, Naraku never said I couldn't.   
  
Marako's eyes narrowed as his sensitive ears heard the sounds of kissing, and skin and fabric rustling. Time for me to get to work on the human girl, he thought. He jumped off the rooftop and ran off through the village, searching for Kagome. *  
  
"He can be such an idiot!" Kagome exploded.  
  
She let the electric teapot clatter to the floor, spilling water on the dusty floor. Sango quickly stooped to pick it up. "He's probably just a little preoccupied, Kagome," the slayer said. "I'm sure he didn't mean to brush off your concerns."  
  
"Oh, that's not it," Kagome said, simmering. Inuyasha's "stupid" barb was still stinging. "He just makes me so MAD sometimes."  
  
Sango's started to reply, but her eye widened. She gestured behind Kagome. Inuyasha was hanging in the window, balancing on his knees. The anger and annoyance had faded out of his pale features, and he just looked curious and   
  
"What is it?" Kagome said, starting to fold her sleeping bag.   
  
"Sango, wouldja leave?" Inuyasha said.  
  
Sango glanced over at Kagome, as if waiting for her to disagree with Inuyasha. When Kagome said nothing, the older girl set down the pot and slipped out. "I'll be right nearby if you need me. Try not to hurt each other, okay?" she called over her shoulder.  
  
Inuyasha hopped into the room, circling lightly around Kagome. "You aren't going back home, are you?" he asked, sounding alarmed.  
  
"No, I'm just tidying up," Kagome said, testing her bowstring. "Why? It's not like there are any Shikon shards here. We've been here a few days and nothing has happened."  
  
"That's just it," Inuyasha said hesitantly. "Kagome, I'm... sorry."  
  
The string twanged from Kagome's fingers. "What?" she said slowly.  
  
A faint flush came over Inuyasha's face. For a moment, he looked a little flustered, like he didn't know what to say. "I said I'm sorry. Isn't that good enough?" he said gruffly. "Cause you ain't getting more from me."  
  
"Are you feeling all right?" Kagome asked, putting a hand to his forehead. "Or are you Inuyasha's secret twin, who DOES apologize sometimes without me twisting his arm?"  
  
"No!" Inuyasha said quickly. A strange expression came into his eyes, so briefly that Kagome wondered if she had imagined it. It looked like a mixture of fear and... anger? Over a joke like that? She decided that she must have mistaken something else he was feeling.  
  
"Kagome," Inuyasha said hesitantly. "I... well, I think I know what is causing that weird feeling you've been having. It might have Shikon shards, but I need you to see them for me."  
  
Kagome frowned. "You sure? What is it?"  
  
"I don't know... I've never seen anything like this thing. Come on, we don't have all day." He stalked out.  
  
"Wait a minute." Kagome picked up her bow and quiver, securing them on her back before following Inuyasha out. She waved to Miroku  
  
"Ready?" Inuyasha asked. When Kagome nodded, he set off at a blindingly fast run to the foot of the mountain, then launched himself up into the air. Clinging to his shoulders, Kagome suddenly shivered. For a moment she desperately wanted to run, to hide, to defend herself against something she couldn't identify. The feeling faded away, but she was still uneasy. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, she thought, huddling closer to Inuyasha. She didn't see the faint smirk on his face.   
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	14. Doppelganger Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN  
  
*  
  
"Are we almost there?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Almost," Inuyasha grunted. He hadn't said much on this trip, but then, Kagome thought, he didn't talk much when they were traveling in general. His bare feet flew over the branches and rocks, and at times he almost seemed to forget  
  
Kagome let out a frightened squeak as he landed lightly on a cracked rock ledge on a steep, dry riverbank. Bits of rock began to fall as the crack widened underneath them. "Inuyasha! We're gonna fall!" she cried.  
  
"No, we're not," Inuyasha said coolly. He pushed off the ledge and leapt up the rock face. Kagome squeaked again as the rock, under pressure, crumbled into halves. The cracking fragments crashed down the leafy hill, before disappearing in a cloud of dust.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted. "Be careful! We could have gotten hurt back there!"  
  
"Stop yellin' in my ear!" Inuyasha snapped. "I know what I'm doing!"  
  
Kagome clamped her mouth shut. Just when I think he's being nice, he starts acting like a complete jerk again! she thought angrily. I should never have agreed to come. But then... there are Shikon shards at stake. I guess I should just be quiet and talk about this stupid behavior problem of his later on...  
  
But her feelings of unease continued as Inuyasha carried her up the mountainside. He brushed by tree trunks and ran under low branches, making Kagome duck quickly. And he landed on unsteady ground, more cracked boulders and dead branches, slipping often and almost dropping her once.  
  
"Inuyasha, maybe we should slow down," Kagome said hesitantly. She was hanging on for her life, but kept her voice steady. "This doesn't seem like a... a very safe place."  
  
"Feh," was all Inuyasha said to her.  
  
What's wrong with him? Kagome thought. He's never acted this... well, this RECKLESS before. Usually he doesn't ignore me either. Her fingers dug into the red material of his sleeves. "Inuyasha, are you... okay?" she said hesitantly.  
  
"Yeah, sure," Inuyasha said, taking several small leaps up a rock face. "Any reason you ask?"  
  
"You've been kind of weird recently."  
  
"I'm just on edge. You've been weird too."  
  
Kagome rolled her eyes. He just doesn't get it, she thought. Sometimes I wonder why I even talk to him.  
  
"Can you describe this thing that MIGHT have Shikon shards?" she said, changing the subject. "I mean, could it have attacked the villagers? Or eaten them, or something?"  
  
Inuyasha paused on the heavy, gnarled boughs of a windblown tree. "Might have done that. It's big enough, even though I didn't smell any blood coming from it."  
  
"You're not making this easy for me," Kagome said, frustrated.  
  
"Sorry." But he didn't sound sorry. What was more, Kagome noticed, he didn't inquire further. He just kept running, jumping, climbing higher and higher up the mountain...  
  
A shiver ran down Kagome's spine. She had the cold, heart-racing feeling of danger that she had had in the village -- the sense that something bad was nearby. She reached back and touched her bow and quiver, just to be sure they were both there. "I-Inuyasha," she said hesitantly.  
  
"Yeah?" Inuyasha said absently.  
  
"I don't... do you feel anything strange? Like there's a demon nearby?"  
  
"I don't feel nothin'." Inuyasha paused on a small, leaf-strewn clearing. "We're almost there. Hang on a minute more."  
  
Kagome felt that dread growing stronger as Inuyasha finally set her down, on a little mossy clearing ringed with trees. It was pretty, and she would have appreciated it more if the fear wasn't almost making her shake. To her surprise, she felt Inuyasha's clawed hands touching her shoulders, to steady her. "Kagome," he said slowly, "before we go hunting for that demon, I need to talk to you."  
  
"What about?" Kagome said. There was something odd in his eyes, something that she couldn't quite identify.   
  
To her surprise, Inuyasha leaned forward and gathered her into his arms. Kagome was surprised, flustered. For a moment, she felt nothing except Inuyasha's arms, and his breath in her ear. "I-Inuyasha," Kagome whispered. "Did you... actually bring me up here... for the shards?" Something about this wasn't right...  
  
"Sort of," Inuyasha said quietly. "In a minute, neither of us will have anything to worry about."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	15. Doppelganger Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN  
  
*  
  
Inuyasha could feel Kagome's fingers slipping through his silver hair, like tiny fish in a river. She was clinging to his bare chest and shoulders, like she did when she was frightened of something. But she wasn't frightened now. He could feel it, sense it, almost smell it, and Kagome's scent was almost making him feel drunk.   
  
No one's ever touched me like this before, he thought. No one ever got this close to me. No girl... until I met Kagome...  
  
Finally, he broke off the kiss with a gasp. "K-Kagome..." he said breathlessly.   
  
Kagome's response was to rest her head on his shoulder. "Mm-hm?"  
  
"You sure... you wanna do this?"  
  
Kagome blinked. "Would I be here if I didn't?"  
  
"I wanted to know... I mean, I wasn't sure...." Inuyasha said hesitantly. He could feel his knees starting to get shaky, and his clawed hands shivering on Kagome's shoulders. He wasn't sure why his heart was racing, as if he were afraid...  
  
"Then you have plenty to learn," Kagome said, giving a lock of his white hair a tug. "Just stop being afraid...."  
  
Inuyasha held her close as he slid to the floor with a rather unromantic thud. Hs back was to the wall, and his arms were still holding Kagome as gently as he could manage. He felt clumsy and awkward, like some naive whelp. But he didn't care any more. He wanted to stay in her arms for a long, long time -- as long as the violent, disrupted world outside would let him.  
  
Some tiny, shrill, very annoying voice began to raise up all his old fears. Fears that he was somehow abandoning Kikyo -- no, he thought, better not think of her now. Fears that he would be alone again, that Kagome would cast him off for some human boy -- or some other demon. A demon like Koga, maybe. But he forced himself not to think of that.   
  
She wouldn't be cruel, he thought, his claws digging into Kagome's school uniform. I won't believe it of her. She never would...  
  
Inuyasha's golden eyes closed as they sank into another kiss, soft and sweet as a spring breeze. Kagome's hands began gently pushing him down the wall toward the floor, and Inuyasha made no move to stop her.   
  
Then he stiffened as he smelled something else. Kagome's scent was gone, and in its place was something bitter, sharp, almost overpowering. His eyes flew open. I know that scent, he thought. I've smelled it before, when... dammit, NARAKU!  
  
He flung Kagome away from him. "Ugh!" he groaned.  
  
"What the -- what in the world is the matter with you?" Kagome cried, stumbling to her feet. "Have you lost it?"  
  
Inuyasha crouched on the floor, breathing hard. His eyes were fixed on Kagome's flushed face. Her own scent was back now. He wondered, Did I just imagine smelling that? No, it can't be... I wasn't thinking about Naraku. I really did smell his scent.  
  
He grimaced. "Kagome... tell me to sit."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said tell me to sit!" Inuyasha grabbed his beaded rosary. "Do it now!"  
  
A strange blank look had come over the girl's face. It was like her face -- Kagome's face -- was nothing more than a mask, with something lurking behind it. Dammit, Inuyasha thought, why didn't I see it sooner? He curled his clawed fingers. "You can't do it to me. You're not really Kagome, are you?" he said in a low voice. With a wordless snarl, he lunged toward her, his hand raised.  
  
But the girl was faster. Her fist swung out and struck the wooden wall in a blaze of light, blinding Inuyasha for a moment. He stumbled to his knees, shielding his eyes from the light and the spray of broken splinters. When he opened his eyes, there was a gaping hole in the wall. And the girl was gone.  
  
Inuyasha sagged down onto the floor for a moment, still breathing hard. I almost... we nearly... with that THING, he thought, repulsed. He wiped his mouth where she had kissed him.   
  
A weariness crept into his heart as he thought over what had nearly happened. That was Kagome, he realized. That thing was using me in Kagome's form, trying to seduce me. Then she'd rip out my heart and leave me here. It's one of Naraku's little traps again. Like fifty years ago, with Kikyo...  
  
Suddenly Inuyasha stiffened. "Kagome," he whispered. "If that thing took her place without anybody noticing, then that means... Kagome's in danger!" He snatched up his discarded robes and ran out of the hut.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	16. Doppelganger Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN  
  
*  
  
Inuyasha sprang out of the hut, still half-naked and clutching the clothes that... that creature had pulled off of him. His golden eyes darted around, but she was gone. That meant she was at least as fast as he was, maybe even faster. She might be as strong too. In other circumstances, Inuyasha would have hunted the girl down and torn her to shreds. But Kagome's safety came first.  
  
He ran through the village, finally stumbling into Miroku and Shippo. "Quick, have either of you seen Kagome?" he said breathlessly, pulling on his clothes.  
  
"You took her up the mountain a little while ago," Shippo piped up. "Why'd you come back without her?"  
  
The monk eyed Inuyasha's bare chest and flushed face. "May I ask what you've been doing, or would you prefer not to tell me in front of Shippo?" he asked smoothly.  
  
"Like what? Why can't he say it?" Shippo asked.  
  
Inuyasha growled softly, but for once Miroku was right about him. He turned and raced into the woods, sniffing the air. He could smell his own scent, going up the mountain paths. And Kagome. No, TWO Kagomes... her scent was going along two different tracks. Both were heading into the mountains, and one was a lot fresher than the other.  
  
I'm such a fool! he snapped at himself. I almost... I almost made love to that thing, thinking she was Kagome. If I hadn't beeen scared and hesitated long enough, she would've had me, and then killed me. She said... everything I wanted to hear, everything I wish Kagome said to me. And when she said it, I just lay down in her lap like a lost puppy and let her use me. Dammit!  
  
Inuyasha shuddered, thinking about what he had nearly done. He could still feel her hands on his back and chest. She'd stroked him, caressed him, and now he felt like being sick. Figures, he thought grimly. The first time a girl treats me that way, and it's all a trick.  
  
Then rage filled him again. That girl wasn't going to get away with it. He'd find her -- once he found Kagome. And if she had been hurt, he'd make that filthy Naraku-spawn slut wish she had never touched either of them. If she even scratched Kagome, I'll rip her to shreds. But that can wait. Kagome... I'll find you! he thought desperately.  
  
He skidded to a stop at the base of a small cliff. A freshly broken boulder was lying in pieces at the bottom, with a track of mud behind it. And Inuyasha could smell Kagome's scent on it. She had been here, and not too long ago either.  
  
He leaped up the steep cliffside. "Whoever you are," he whispered, "whatever you're planning... you are DEAD."  
  
*  
  
"What do you mean?" Kagome whispered. Her heart was pounding -- but why, she wasn't certain. Inuyasha's touch was gentle and comforting, but somehow she felt... afraid? Afraid of what? Of... him?  
  
She felt his hands resting tightly on her back. "Kagome... we've been traveling together for a long time, right?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Do you remember how it was when we first met?"  
  
"Sort of... Inuyasha, what are you talking about?"  
  
"I'm talkin' about this."  
  
His answer was a rough kiss on the lips. Kagome's knees almost buckled. It was sudden and clumsy, and Kagome was stunned by it. Why is he doing this? she wondered apprehensively, not sure if she wanted to know the answer to it. He's acting so strangely...  
  
She felt herself being slowly pushed back, against a gnarled tree trunk, still held tightly in Inuyasha's arms. Finally he broke the kiss, and stared into her eyes. "I just thought I should thank you," he said softly.  
  
"What are you say-"  
  
Kagome's words were cut short as he suddenly threw her to the ground, his claws digging into her upper arms before he let go. "Ow," Kagome muttered, flinching. Her bow and quiver had fallen from her back, and were lying in the dust at Inuyasha's feet.  
  
The half-demon was staring down at her, his golden eyes devoid of emotion. "There aren't any shards on this mountain, Kagome, and there probably aren't many left at all. So it's about time I do what I said I'd do... from the very start."  
  
Kagome sat up slowly. Inuyasha... what are you saying to me? she thought.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	17. Doppelganger Chapter 17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN  
  
*  
  
"Inuyasha, you're acting even weirder than usual!" Kagome burst out. "What are you talking about? Why did you just kiss me? Because it sure didn't feel like you meant it."  
  
"This." Inuyasha held up one fist.  
  
Kagome felt sick as he opened his slim, clawed fingers. Her hand went to her blouse, right over her heart. I didn't feel him there, she thought. I never felt him take those away from me... is that why he did that? Is that why he... kissed me?  
  
In his hand was the little jar of Shikon shards.  
  
"Surprised?" Inuyasha said. He was smirking a little, as if her confusion was amusing him. His golden eyes were fixed on her face. But there was a coldness, a distant quality that Kagome had never seen there before. His smirk grew as he tossed the jar into the air and caught it smoothly. "Not bad, huh. I'm getting as good at that as Miroku."  
  
The shock wore off, and anger replaced it. Kagome stumbled onto her knees. "You give those back to me!" she shouted.  
  
"Oh, I don't think so, Kagome," Inuyasha said coolly, holding the jar over his head. "That kiss? You wanna know why I kissed you? Well, it just seemed right to thank you for this little favor. Without your eyes, I never would've found this many. But if jewel shards are that scarce, then maybe I can just find them myself."  
  
Kagome drew back slightly, her eyes widening. Her heart was pounding like a trapped animal's. She started to speak again, then stopped. He can't mean... Inuyasha would never... she thought, wide-eyed.  
  
Inuyasha held the jar up the light and studied the little shards. "Pretty, ain't they? I'll be getting my hands on Naraku's too. But not with you. Call me odd, but I just don't like sharing."  
  
"W-why..." Kagome managed to stammer.  
  
"Idiot. Doncha remember what I said to you when we first met?" Inuyasha said contemptuously.   
  
Kagome sat back, thinking back to the first days she had spent with Inuyasha. His angry face then seemed to appear like a ghost in front of her, shouting that when the time came for him to take the jewel, he wouldn't have any mercy on her. Inuyasha... I thought you'd changed since then. I believed that you... no, this isn't possible, she thought.  
  
"I can see you do remember," Inuyasha said, holding the jar lightly between his claws. "Too bad for you. I'm going on alone from here, to take the remainder of the jewel from Naraku. You've been helpful, but from here on you're just dead weight."  
  
Kagome gasped. "But you said... you didn't want to use the jewel anymore."  
  
"Feh. Maybe your ambitions die that quickly, but mine don't."  
  
"Inuyasha... then... you never meant..."  
  
"Not a word of it," the half-demon said loftily. "But I had to keep you happy, didn't I? If I hadn't kept your little ego salved all the time, you might've run off permanently. Now that your usefulness is up," he added, smiling coldly, "you're about as worthless as Kikyo once she'd lost the jewel." He turned and began walking away.  
  
"Stop right there." There was a soft scrabbling noise as the human girl got to her feet. "Give me those shards back," Kagome said.  
  
He turned around, staring at her as if he couldn't believe his ears. "What did you say to me?" he said slowly.   
  
"I said give them back," Kagome said tensely. "Those aren't just your shards -- they belong to everyone. And I don't believe you've been lying all along. Something's wrong with you, Inuyasha -- you're not acting like yourself. What happened?"  
  
"So you knew me?" Inuyasha said.   
  
Then his face softened slightly, becoming the face of the boy she knew and cared about. He took a step toward Kagome; she took a step back. She flinched as his hand cupped her chin, so lightly that his skin barely brushed hers. "Let me show you how much you mean to me," he said huskily.  
  
His hand flew up so fast that she didn't see it coming. She staggered back, her eyes watering from the blow. Pressing a hand to her stinging face, she stared up at Inuyasha's cold eyes. What happened to you? she thought. Who did this to you?  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	18. Doppelganger Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN  
  
*  
  
Kagome rubbed the sore spot on her cheek. Her stomach felt twisted and sick, and his cold words were spinning in her head. Inuyasha's eyes were like a pair of polished pebbles, golden and hard. It was an expression that Kagome had never seen before... but then, he had never hit her before either. Not even a swat.  
  
He's going to kill me, she thought frantically. She could see it in his expressionless face.  
  
Suddenly Kagome turned and ran toward her bow and arrow. They were still on the ground -- if she could reach them, Inuyasha couldn't harm her. But as her hand closed on the bow, she froze. What if... someone is trying to make me do this? Does someone -- the person who made Inuyasha act like this -- want me to shoot him? she thought. I can't... I couldn't do that...  
  
Suddenly Inuyasha's hand grasped her wrist. "Oh no, you don't," he whispered in her ear.  
  
Kagome squealed and tried to push him away. But suddenly his arm was locked around her waist, and she was being lifted off her feet. Kagome kept shouting and kicking, punching Inuyasha in the gut with her free hand. It didn't seem to hurt him. He just looked down at her, as if he were disgusted. "Boy, you really don't have anything worthwhile except seeing shards," he said contemptuously.  
  
Inuyasha slammed Kagome back against a tree trunk, his hands pressing her shoulders back. Kagome blinked away tears, and brought up the last weapon she had. "SIT!" she shouted.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
Kagome was too shocked to say a word. Then, "SIT!"  
  
Inuyasha smirked coldly. "Too bad it ain't workin', huh?" he said. "Be a good little girl and stop fighting me, okay? Maybe I won't hurt you... too much."  
  
Desperately, Kagome did the first thing she could think of: She hit Inuyasha. Her fist smacked into his jaw, snapping his head to the side. Both of them were too shocked to speak for a moment. Then Inuyasha slowly turned back to look at her, his eyes blazing with rage. "You... are DEAD," he snarled through his fangs.  
  
He raised his hand -- this time with claws. Kagome flinched, sure that he was about to rip off her head--  
  
"KAGOME!"  
  
A blur of red and white slammed into Inuyasha, throwing Kagome to the ground. She wiped dust and tears out of her eyes -- and froze when she saw Inuyasha facing off against... himself. There were two identical boys a little distance away -- dog ears, white hair red clothes, beaded necklaces, battered swords. They were growling and glaring at one another, each one ready to spring. Then one of them turned and vanished into the woods, running faster than Kagome had ever seen a demon go before.  
  
Kagome was too shocked to say a word. Then... that wasn't really Inuyasha? she thought, putting a hand over her mouth.  
  
The remaining boy -- Inuyasha, straightened up and looked over at her. "Kagome, are you all right? What happened?"  
  
"Inu... yasha..." Kagome stumbled toward him and threw her arms around him. After a moment of hesitation, he hugged her back. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, but she still said, "I knew it wasn't you! I knew you couldn't say those things to me and mean it!"  
  
"What things?" Inuyasha said angrily. "What did that bastard say to you?"  
  
"Th-that you just wanted me for the jewel shards, that I was useless without them... that once we had the shards you were just going to take them. He... he said that... and I knew that... you wouldn't say that..."   
  
Rage rose up in Inuyasha again. That slut had been bad enough, but that bastard with Inuyasha's own face had tried to poison Kagome's mind against him, make her believe that he was just using her. He held her a little tighter, gritting his teeth. He didn't smell any blood on her body. But she had been harmed anyway.   
  
It was a little ironic. He had thought he was holding Kagome before, comforting her -- and that girl had turned out to be one of Naraku's rotten offspring. But this... this was the real Kagome! I'd stake my life on it, he thought. It wasn't just the smell -- it was the way she was hanging on to him, the look on her face when she had seen him squaring off against that lookalike who had been trying to harm her.  
  
Naraku, he thought, his face shifting into a snarl. He tried to trick Kagome the same way he did with me and Kikyo fifty years ago. If I hadn't smelled that girl's real scent, Kagome might be dead now.... and she'd think I had done it. Kagome... I'll do better for you than I was able to do for Kikyo.  
  
"Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered.  
  
"Yes?" he said quietly.  
  
"Your clothes are inside out."  
  
Inuyasha almost dropped her on her backside. Quickly he tore off the top half of his clothes, turned them right side out, and slipped back into them. He could feel himself blushing. Never mind, there'll be plenty of time to tell her what almost happened... later, he thought. Once those doubles are turned into carrion!  
  
"Come on!" Inuyasha snatched up Kagome's bow and quiver in one hand. "On my back. Naraku's going to get his!"  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	19. Doppelganger Chapter 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN  
  
*  
  
A cold wind had blown clouds over the mountaintop full of broken stones, and blotted out the sun. The trees rustled in the breeze, the only sound that could be heard.  
  
A huddled figure in a white fur robe was staring down off of a precipice. Below, he could see two figures darting through the trees. A figure in red, with a girl clinging to his back. Inuyasha and Kagome, two of the sharpest thorns in Naraku's side. They yet lived -- and what was more, they were not fleeing back to that flimsy village.  
  
"So they are hunting Mihaka and Marako," Naraku murmured. "A foolish decision. My offspring are more than a match for them...  
  
"Inuyasha... what a pity that you did not give in quickly enough to your base desires and succumb to Mihaka. If you had not hesitated so long, then you could have died more peacefully in the arms of the woman you care for." He smiled slightly. "Or so you would have believed... that Kikyo reincarnated was again your doom. And, of course, Kagome would have been left to Marako's mercy. He would have tormented her with the hints I have learned of your life, forcing her to believe that he was the true Inuyasha. Her fate would have been sealed, and the jewel shards she carried would have been in my possession." He paused, pulling the tiny jar from inside his baboon cloak. "As it is... that has happened. And while your deaths may not have the sense of poetry that I wished for, Mihaka and Marako will yet complete their task."  
  
*  
  
"Inuyasha...."  
  
"What?"  
  
"That... that guy took my jewel shards. He... um, he kissed me, and he took the shards," Kagome said, feeling oddly embarrassed by the admission.  
  
She felt Inuyasha stiffen under her for a moment, as if he were about to blow his top. But then he just said tightly, "Don't worry about it, Kagome. We'll find him and get the shards back." As he leaped up onto a precipice, he suddenly stopped, wobbling a little.  
  
"What's wrong?" Kagome asked, clutching at his sleeves.  
  
"I left Tetsusaiga back at the hut," Inuyasha said tonelessly. "I was in such a rush that I forgot to take it with me."  
  
"Why were you in a rush?" Kagome asked. She felt Inuyasha stiffen again, and was pretty sure that if she saw his face, he would be blushing. "Can we focus here?" he asked crabbily. "I can fight Naraku without Tetsusaiga, but... dammit!" He clenched his fists, wondering if that offspring of Naraku's had been trying to separate him from his sword. "We gotta keep going. If we go back now, we'll risk losing them. And if we don't kill 'em off now, we'll only end up getting trapped later. They even smell like you and me -- there's a spell or somethin' on them."  
  
Suddenly Kagome poked the back of Inuyasha's head. "I can sense jewel shards nearby..." she whispered. "A bunch of them..."  
  
Inuyasha sniffed the air, and growled softly. "I know. He's here."  
  
"You mean your double."  
  
"No. Naraku."   
  
Kagome's breath caught. She clung to Inuyasha as he took a flying leap over the trees, and landed lightly in the steep mountain path fringed with pines. The air was chilly and damp.   
  
"How pleasant to see you both again," a deep, velvety voice said. It sent a shiver down Kagome's spine. A dark shape appeared in the mist -- a hunched figure, hidden under a white robe and a baboon mask. "I see that Mihaka and Marako were not quite able to defeat you. Yet." Two dark shapes seemed to flit in and out of the mist, as if they weren't quite real.  
  
"I take it those are your spawn who impersonated Kagome and me!" Inuyasha shouted, pointing at Naraku. "You tried to make us think that we were being betrayed and trapped by the other. You think I'm gonna let you get away with that, you bastard?!"  
  
"You hardly have a choice," Naraku said, with a hint of a purr in his voice. "And I think that there have been worse torments for you... than being trapped by my little Mihaka." Inuyasha's eyes widened in shock. Naraku continued softly, "Tell me, are you sorry now that you prevented her... betrayal?"  
  
Kagome frowned. Before she could ask what Naraku meant, Inuyasha snarled, "Shut up! I've had enough of your mouth!"  
  
He sprang forward and slashed downward at Naraku's head, shearing down through his chest. Kagome flinched as the baboon cloak was shredded -- and disintegrated into a pile of dirt, splinters, and soiled fur. "Just another damn puppet," Inuyasha said, fishing the jewel shards from inside it.  
  
Then one of his ears twitched. "KAGOME! Look out!" He raced toward her and knocked her to the ground, as a red-clad shape hurtled through the air toward her. In a moment, the two dog-eared boys were facing off, snarling and ready to slash at one another.   
  
As Kagome started to stand up, she found herself looking at a girl's legs. As she slowly looked up, she felt a chill. She was looking at herself -- at her own face, cold and smiling.   
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	20. Doppelganger Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY  
  
*  
  
The weird warning feeling that Inuyasha had been having for days was going off full blast as he squared off against Marako. This demon was giving him the creeps -- not only was the snarling face he saw a mirror image of his own, but he only smelled his own scent.   
  
"Funny," he said, smirking. "I always thought I was better looking."  
  
"Believe me, you won't be in a minute," Marako fired back.  
  
Inuyasha cracked his knuckles. "Well, let's see if you're confident or just an arrogant bastard, shall we?"  
  
He dodged as Marako swiped at him, then slammed his fist into his double's side. Marako grunted in surprise, then slashed his claws at Inuyasha's eyes. The half-demon leapt back, staggering a little. His face stung from the brush of Marako's fingers. Damn, he thought. This guy is good. As strong as I am... and he doesn't hold back at all.   
  
"Huh," Marako said. "You fight back a lot better than that stupid human girl. Why do you tote her around, huh?" He grinned. "Or maybe I know. After all, Mihaka looks a lot like her, don't she?"  
  
Didn't know I had such a nasty smile, Inuyasha thought. He dared a glance over his shoulder. Kagome -- whichever girl she was -- was scuffling with Mihaka. Kagome was clumsy compared to him, and Mihaka was fighting the same way. The two girls were kicking, pushing and scuffling in the dust.  
  
Why isn't Mihaka fighting harder? She's as strong as Marako... of course, he thought, narrowing his eyes. If Mihaka really fights with all her strength, I'll know which is which... of course, if Marako beats me, she'll rip Kagome apart in a minute...  
  
"You might want to pay ATTENTION!" Marako growled, swiping at Inuyasha's exposed throat. The half-demon leaped back, slashing at Marako's clawed fingers. A thin stream of blood swirled from a cut on Marako's wrist -- but that was the only wound Inuyasha had been able to inflict.  
  
I have to take out that slut, Inuyasha thought, aiming a kick at Marako's stomach. But how... neither of them has any... of course! Why didn't I think of it sooner?!  
  
He punched Marako hard enough to make him stagger. Then he wheeled around and launched himself at the fighting girls. "Kagome! Don't move a muscle!" he bellowed.  
  
As he expected, both girls froze in place, their eyes fixed on him. His claws slashed through the backs of their blouses, shredding the thin cloth to rags. In a few seconds, Inuyasha caught a glimpse of their backs -- one was an ordinary bare back.  
  
The other bore an ugly spider scar.  
  
I knew it! Inuyasha thought exultantly. He'd kill Mihaka, give Kagome time to run away...  
  
A growling voice rang out. "First rule -- NEVER turn your back to me!" shouted Marako, throwing himself toward Inuyasha.   
  
A hoarse scream tore itself from Inuyasha's throat as Marako's fist slammed into his right arm. He stumbled to his knees, grimacing. White hot pain was lancing through his now-useless arm; he had just started to get up when Marako punched him in the jaw.  
  
*  
  
Kagome was barely aware of the continuing fight between Inuyasha and Marako. Mihaka, pinning her against a tree, was taking up most of her attention. The demon girl's too-strong hands were squashing her forward, pressing her face against the bark. It made Kagome want to faint -- but she didn't dare.  
  
I need my arrows, Kagome thought hazily. Her eyes flicked  
  
Suddenly Mihaka released her; she glanced over her shoulder with wide eyes, distracted by something out of her victim's sigh. Kagome took the opportunity to elbow the demoness in the stomach, throwing her backwards. Then Kagome started to run toward her bow and arrows. Then she stopped, horrified by what she saw.  
  
She raised her gaze to the ridge, just as one of the Inuyashas stumbled back. The attacker shouted in triumph... and rammed his hand through his opponent's chest, slashing out through his back.   
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	21. Doppelganger Chapter 21

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE  
  
*  
  
Inuyasha felt his fingers groping on empty air as his left hand erupted through the demon's back. His grimace turned into a grim smile as he saw the look of shock on Marako's face. "I win, bastard," Inuyasha said through his teeth. "That's for what you did to Kagome."  
  
He yanked out his hand, still smeared with Marako's dark blood. Marako took a staggering step backwards, then crumpled to the ground. Inuyasha tensed, ready to strike again if he moved, but his lookalike seemed to be dead. At the very least, he wasn't moving.   
  
Inuyasha grimaced. If my right arm weren't broken, I could've ripped him in half, he thought. But for now... I'm gonna deal with Mihaka.  
  
He wheeled around and stared at the two girls. They were staring at him, with looks of shock on their identical faces. Both of their uniform blouses were hanging in tatters in the back. Both of them were dirty, sweaty, scratched by briars. Aw, man, he thought. Now neither of them knows who I am -- me or Marako. But I can... find out which one is really Kagome. And broken arm or not, I'll give that slut something to yelp about before I slash her to bits.  
  
His golden eyes flicked from one girl's face to the other, studying them as long as he dared. One looked freaked-out, and the other... was just blank. But that didn't mean anything. Kagome might have figured out by now who I really am, Inuyasha thought. If I were Marako, I would've already killed her. But then again... Mihaka also knows.  
  
"Don't move a muscle, either of you," he growled. His left hand cracked loudly. "I'm gonna walk around you to see your backs. The first one to move dies."  
  
Inuyasha saw a malevolent flash in one girl's eyes. He started toward her - and a powerful arm locked around his neck.  
  
"Don't count me out yet!" Marako's voice snarled in Inuyasha's ear.  
  
Inuyasha staggered back, grimacing. Marako was wounded, but he had the wild strength of a dying man. One of his muscular arms was locked around Inuyasha's chest and broken arm, the other around his throat, choking him. The half-demon cursed silently, knowing that he had been clumsy. He should have finished Marako off for good before turning to Mihaka....  
  
With a strained shout, Inuyasha forced Marako's arm away from his throat and whirled around. He pushed the Naraku-spawned demon away to the edge of the cliff. Marako's last expression was one of surprise, as he plummeted off the cliff and vanished into the fog. Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"YOU!" Mihaka's shriek rang out.  
  
Inuyasha was knocked off his feet as Mihaka body-tackled him. As he twisted in pain, she sat on him, pinning him with her body weight, and locked her slim hands around his throat. Her face was contorted with rage. Even though she was identical to Kagome, for a moment her face was all demon.   
  
Inuyasha writhed under the girl, trying to push her away. But she was as strong as he was, and his right arm was broken. As he clawed wildly at her with his left hand, she dodged him easily.   
  
Dammit, I can't... breathe! he thought.  
  
Suddenly Mihaka let go of him and lurched forward. Inuyasha felt something hot prick his stomach.  
  
When he looked down, he saw an arrow poking through Mihaka's chest. It had burned a small hole in Inuyasha's fire-rat clothes, but had stopped short of burning him. He looked up at Mihaka's shocked face. Then she seemed to dissolve into a bluish mist.  
  
"Inuyasha!" Kagome ran over. "Are you okay?"  
  
Inuyasha coughed and clutched at his bruised throat. "Y-yeah," he whispered. "I-I guess so... damn, that was close, Kagome."  
  
Kagome clutched at his sleeves. "I'm sorry. But I couldn't figure out any other way to get her off you."  
  
Inuyasha looked vaguely embarrassed at the way she had phrased it. But he wasn't going to tell her justyet... "It ain't important," he mumbled. "Forget it. I'm just glad those two didn't have the chance to hurt you anymore." He grunted and started to his feet.  
  
"Inuyasha?"  
  
Inuyasha felt his breath catch. "Yeah, Kagome?"  
  
"Sit."  
  
Inuyasha smashed to the ground with an undignified squawk.  
  
Kagome knelt down next to his prone form. "Sorry, I just needed to make absolutely sure you were really Inuyasha," she said hesitantly. She waited for a moment. "Inuyasha? Are you okay? Um... is that arm broken? Inuyasha?"  
  
"Oh, shut up..." came the reply.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	22. Doppelganger Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO  
  
*  
  
"YEEOWCH!" Inuyasha yelped.  
  
Kagome loosened the bandage on his back and taped it into place. "Is that better?" she asked.  
  
"Hrmph." Inuyasha twisted his shoulders slightly.   
  
Sango sat forward, looking a little dazed. "So... what you're saying is that some of the time, you and Inuyasha weren't... I mean, we were talking to two of Naraku's minions?" she asked slowly.   
  
Miroku was watching Kagome bandage Inuyasha's injuries. His handsome face was grim. "Tell me, Kagome... what happened to Marako after Inuyasha pushed him off the cliff?"  
  
"It looks like it evaporated, like Mihaka's." Kagome felt Inuyasha's back stiffen slightly. "Don't do that, you'll make the bandages fall off again! Anyway, we found a few shreds of his clothes at the bottom of the cliff. But he was so badly wounded that he couldn't have gotten away. So I guess they're both dead."  
  
"And Naraku?" Shippo asked.  
  
"Gone. As usual," Inuyasha said bluntly.   
  
The half-demon grimaced and stretched, much to Kagome's dismay. He felt a lot better than he had that morning, after he had killed Marako and nearly been strangled by Mihaka. Marako's claws had left him with scratches, bruises and gashes all over his body. Those were healing nicely, but his snapped arm -- which he had landed on when Kagome "sat" him -- was still on the mend. She had tied it up in a sling and threatened to "sit" him again if he tried to move it.  
  
"That's rather disturbing," Miroku said, rubbing his chin. "While I thought that you were both acting a little odd, I never suspected that it wasn't actually you. Their impersonations were nearly perfect."  
  
"I didn't suspect anything either," Sango said. A weird look came over her face. "Kagome..."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Did you take a bath at the hot springs the other night?"  
  
Kagome frowned. "No. Why?"  
  
An even weirder look came over Sango's face. "Oh, no reasion," she said in a small voice.  
  
Kagome could guess what had happened. I'd feel pretty weird in her place too, she thought, rubbing some ointment into Inuyasha's back. Taking a bath with one of Naraku's minions who was sent out to kill Inuyasha... that must be really creepy.  
  
"Tell me," Miroku said slowly, "was this village truly a place where humans were living, or did Naraku create it just to trap us?"  
  
"I don't know," Kagome said glumly. "I think it was meant to be a trap, because he didn't mention any villagers or jewel shards."  
  
"I see," Miroku said. "Then we should probably leave as soon as possible."  
  
"You think Naraku is still around here?" Shippo asked, alarmed.  
  
"No, I don't," Miroku said, folding his arms. "At least, not for the moment. Naraku will have retreated now that his newest weapons are dead. But I don't like the idea of staying inside a trap, even a broken one."  
  
"I won't argue with that," Inuyasha spoke up. He stretched and grimaced, with a strange withdrawn look on his face. "We'll leave in the morning, or whenever Shippo sleeps off all that candy he's been eating. Until then, we'd better get some rest."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	23. Doppelganger Chapter 23

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE  
  
*  
  
Inuyasha acted strange all the next morning. While Kagome was peeling the bandages from his back and chest, he just stared at his feet and didn't talk. He was nervous, jumping when she talked. And he had definitely been avoiding looking at her when she took the sling off his mended arm.  
  
Normally he only acted this way when he saw Kikyo. But that couldn't be it, Kagome thought. The others would have noticed if he were sneaking off. Besides, he's only been acting this way since last night. And I've barely been away from him since the battle started.  
  
"That hurt," Inuyasha complained.  
  
"Sorry." Kagome frowned. What's his problem, then? she wondered.  
  
Miroku was watching Inuyasha oddly as well. As the two men walked out of the hut, the monk said quietly, "Inuyasha... is there anything you want to tell Kagome on the way back?"  
  
Inuyasha stared at him, red-faced. "What the... how did... w-why do you say that?"  
  
"I guessed," Miroku said loftily.   
  
Inuyasha stared at him, still flushed. Then he stalked off, mumbling under his breath. "Damn dirty-minded monk," he whispered.  
  
The group was unnaturally silent as they walked down the forest path leading back to Kaede's village. Inuyasha kept staring off into space, trying to avoid Kagome's attempts to talk to him. I'll just tell her, he thought. Tell her out in the open... be honest. Just say it. No reason to get all flustered. Won't get all weird this time. Everyone is safe and I gotta tell her now...  
  
Inuyasha took a deep breath and grabbed Kagome's arm. "Kagome, come with me!" he said brusquely.  
  
Kagome was puzzled, but she followed him anyway.   
  
Sango watched curiously as the half-demon led Kagome off the path and into the bushes. "What are they doing?" she whispered to Miroku.  
  
"I think Inuyasha has something he wants to say to Kagome," Miroku said mysteriously. He paused, listening.   
  
Then a girl's shriek split the air. "SIT!", followed by a thunderous crash and a yowl of pain. A flock of frightened birds flew from the trees. Miroku smiled, satisfied. "I see he's told her," he said.  
  
*  
  
"Kagome, wait!" Inuyasha choked. He staggered up, with dust on his face and in his eyes. "Let me explain!"  
  
Kagome was just inhaling for another "sit," but she stopped. Her face was flushed with anger, and Inuyasha recognized the dangerous glint in her eyes. Arg, I should have tried to soften her first, he thought. Got her prepared... now there's no backing out of it.  
  
"Kagome, I'm sorry," he said, getting back to his feet. "Believe me, I didn't know... what she was until I smelled her real scent. Until then... I thought Mihaka was you." He shifted uncomfortably. "She looked like ya, sounded the same, even smelled the same. And then..."  
  
A weird look came over Kagome's face. "You didn't..."  
  
"No, I didn't!" Inuyasha said quickly. "She tried, but I... I just kissed her." His eyes flicked away nervously. "A lot."  
  
"How much a lot?"  
  
"Dammit, Kagome," Inuyasha mumbled. "Do I have to tell you just how much? It was a lot, okay?"  
  
Kagome was having trouble looking Inuyasha in the face. She couldn't remember when she had blushed this much -- and worst of all, she wasn't sure whether she was thrilled or outraged, if Inuyasha had kissed Mihaka. "So why did you kiss her?" she asked hesitantly.   
  
"'Cause I thought she was you," Inuyasha mumbled. "And she was comin' on to me."  
  
Kagome paused, and stared down at her feet. "Did you like it?"  
  
Inuyasha erupted, "Dammit, Kagome, YES I liked it!" He sank down into a crouch, looking dejected. "But then I realized she wasn't you, and..." He hesitated. "It wasn't just disgusting that I almost... did it with one of Naraku's offspring. I just... that was the first time."  
  
"First time what?"  
  
"First time a girl ever said she wanted me," Inuyasha mumbled, hunching over. "First time in my entire life a girl said that she really wanted me. And it was all a lie. I should've known." He stared glumly off into the trees, with his fingers scratching restlessly in the dust. "I should've known it all along."  
  
Kagome hesitated, then crouched down beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "If I had really said it," she said softly, "it wouldn't have been a lie."  
  
Inuyasha stiffened, then stared at her. He looked a little confused. Was she saying that she wouldn't lie to him, or was she... no, it couldn't be. The half-demon sighed heavily, but he felt somewhat reassured by her words. He wasn't sure why. Kagome rested her hand on his shoulder for a moment longer, then gave his baggy sleeve a tug. "Hey, we should go. The others are gonna be waiting for us."  
  
"Uh, okay." Inuyasha stood up and let her lead him back to the road.   
  
THE END  
  
Author's note: Thank you all for writing, and I'm very flattered that you guys liked it. No, I don't plan to bring Marako back. :) To sashlea, Inuyasha was talking in the future tense; to Lil-lo, thank you, I didn't notice that. I'll try to fix it soon. 


End file.
